Deliverability and IP Warming

1. Deliverability and IP Warming Overview and Implementation Using Eloqua

2. Deliverability & IP Warming • What is Deliverability? • What is IP Warming? • Sending Reputation • Why is IP Warming Important? • Methodology • Guidelines for IP Warming • Reputation/Authentication Migration • Additional Resources

3. What is Deliverability? • Keeping email out of SPAM / Junk filters • Historically based on content and sending domain • Now based on reputation of sending IP address • Reputation can be checked at www.senderscore.org

4. What is IP Warming? • Process to establish a positive sender reputation for your IP address(es) • Other benefits: • Cleanse your list of contacts (bounces, etc) • Check best practices in list management, technical set-ups of your installation, etc.

5. Sending Reputation • Every sender (IP address) of email has a reputation, based on historical email behavior • Reputation is measured and published by ISPs in the form of a Sender Score • ISPs perform reputation filtering

6. Key Factors • Complaints • Most important factor: Human response to unwanted mail • Very low threshold – 0.01% of all email sent • Bouncebacks • High bouncebacks signal bad lists/list management practices • Spammers send to as many addresses as possible: • No regard for validity of addresses • Volume is the only objective • Hard for receiver to differentiate between bad list management and actual spamming • SPAM Traps • Valid email addresses used to catch SPAM • Hidden, therefore only found via harvesting • ALL email sent to a SPAM trap is unsolicited • Created primarily by ISPs & anti SPAM organizations

7. Why is IP Warming Important? • Receivers heavily scrutinize email from new IPs as they do not know if it is legitimate • SPAM signals: • Heavy initial volume • High bouncebacks • High complaints • Trap hits

8. Why is IP Warming Important? • Warming allows for slow volume increase, as well as clearing out list issues • Low initial volume helps avoid volume blocks • Limits complaint likelihood (best contacts, targeted campaign) • Bouncebacks on low volumes get less notice • Active contact requirement eliminates SPAM traps • Builds solid reputation

9. Methodology • Suggested messaging / objective • Data harvest campaign with incentive (must be CAN-SPAM compliant) • Update your subscription options • Newsletter • View archived web content (white papers, demos, etc.)

10. Guidelines for IP Warming – Setup • Silver or higher branding & deliverability configuration complete • Subscription management and email footer configuration complete

11. Guidelines for IP Warming – List Criteria • Large lists make it easier to identify and address issues • No matter the list size, still able to address invalid email addresses, complaints, and Spam Traps in list • List should be clean in order to minimize hard bouncebacks • Possible to have high bounce rate if the previous email provider (where applicable) did not have had a robust bounceback system • List should not contain opt outs/unsubscribes • If possible, target recent contacts (those who have been sent email in the past three months)

12. Guidelines for IP Warming – Content • Email content should have clear, targeted messages • Avoid using time-sensitive emails since the warming process requires minimum 30 day period • Use simple HTML/Template or Plain Text; avoid complex code, excessive images, or CSS • Include messaging that contacts expect to see • Use familiar domains/branding • Examples: • Welcome emails • Update Your Email Preferences campaign

13. Guidelines for IP Warming – Monitoring • Prior to sending the first batch, run a General Deliverability test to be used as a baseline report • Check for any IP blocks – then address as needed • After each batch send: • Check the Bounceback History report for comments like ‘SPAM’ or ‘Blocked for Abuse’ • If bounce rate exceeds 10%, consider revising the list before proceeding with the campaign • Check the SPAM Unsubscribe report for complaints • After two weeks, run another General Deliverability test to check progress • After the IP warming process is complete, run another General Deliverability report to see the final results

14. Reputation/Authentication Migration • You can leverage your existing sender reputation by adding your Eloqua assigned dedicated IP range to your existing SPF record prior to IP warming • This means you will have your existing IP(s) and new Eloqua IP(s) co-mingling in your SPF record allowing for IP reputation migration • Once the IP warming project is complete, you can remove your old IP(s) from the SPF record • If DK/DKIM is being used, your private key information can be transferred to Eloqua as long as you use the same domain configuration/structure that has an existing public key in it • Eloqua can configure its servers to send using your private key thus allowing domain reputation to migrate as well

15. Additional Resources • The Grande Guide to Deliverability • Eloqua’s Deliverability Briefcase • Email Deliverability Playbook